HEAT GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR PRACTICES

HEAT GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR PRACTICES

ag5360BAdopted June 1, 2009Revised July 11, 2023

5360B - HEAT GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR PRACTICES

The following Heat Guidelines are designed to protect NAFC Schools’ students from heat related illnesses. This is a guide for administrators and coaches when the heat index requires modifying and/or suspending outdoor practices (or indoor practices in a non air-conditioned facility). Designated administrator will then communicate to all coaches and sponsors of athletics and activities conducting practices outdoors (or indoors in non air-conditioned facilities) the heat index level and the appropriate level of guidelines – modifications and /or postponement – that should be followed as prescribed in the chart below.

≤ or = to 91 degrees F (Heat Index)

All sports

  1. Provide ample amounts of water. This means that water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

  2. Optional water breaks every thirty (30) minutes for ten (10) minutes in duration. Coordinate breaks with assigned contest officials.

  3. Ice-down towels for cooling.

  4. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.

91.1 to 95 degrees F (Heat Index)

All sports

  1. Provide ample amounts of water. This means that water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

  2. Optional water breaks every thirty (30) minutes for ten (10) minutes in duration. Coordinate breaks with assigned contest officials.

  3. Provide cooling stations using methods such as ice towels.

  4. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.

Contact sports and activities with additional protective equipment (in addition to the above measures)

  1. Helmets and other possible equipment removed while not involved in contact.

  2. Reduce time of outside activity. Consider postponing activity to later in the day.

  3. Recheck air temperature and humidity every 30 minutes to monitor for increased heat conditions or sooner if personnel on the field suspects potential heat stress.

95.1 to 99 degrees F (Heat Index)

All sports

  1. Provide ample amounts of water. This means that water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

  2. Schedule at least 4 separate 4:00 breaks within each hour, or a 10:00 break every 30:00 of training or competition.

  3. Coordinate breaks with assigned contest officials.

  4. Have cooling stations for before, during, and after exercise/training/competition.

  5. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.

  6. Reduce time of outside activity as well as indoor activity if air conditioning is unavailable.

  7. Consider postponing activity to later in the day or another day (with approval from IHSA Administration)

  8. If practicing, maximum of two (2) hours of training/practice while temperature is in this range.

Contact sports and activities with additional protective equipment (in addition to the above measures)

  1. Helmets and other possible equipment removed if not involved in activity or necessary for safety. If necessary for safety, suspend activity.

  2. Recheck air temperature and humidity every 30 minutes to monitor for increased heat conditions.

99.1 to 104 degrees F (Heat Index)

All sports

  1. Provide ample amounts of water. This means that water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

  2. Schedule at least four (4) separate 4:00 breaks within each hour, or a 10:00 break every 30:00 of training or competition.

  3. Coordinate breaks with assigned contest officials.

  4. Have cooling stations for before, during, and after exercise/training/competition.

  5. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.

  6. Reduce time of outside activity as well as indoor activity if air conditioning is unavailable.

  7. Consider postponing activity to later in the day or another day (with approval for IHSA Administration)

  8. If practicing, maximum of one (1) hour of training/practice while temperature is in this range.

Contact sports and activities with additional protective equipment (in addition to the above measures)

  1. Helmets and other possible equipment removed if not involved in activity or necessary for safety. If necessary for safety, suspend activity.

  2. Recheck air temperature and humidity every thirty (30) minutes to monitor for increased heat conditions.

104 degrees F or Higher (Heat Index)

All sports and Activities

  1. No training/competition outdoors (or indoors if there is no air conditioning).

  2. Cancel and/or postpone activity to cooler time of the day.

In addition to using traditional heat index guidance, if staff have availability to Wet Bulb Global Temperature devices to use in order to determine conditions, the following chart (produced by National Athletic Trainers Association) may be used in lieu of traditional Heat Guidelines:

WBGT Reading                                                                                        Activity Guidelines and Rest-Break Guidelines

Under 82.0  degree F (27.8 degree C)                    Normal activities: provide >3 separate rest breaks/h of minimum duration 3 min each during workout.
82.0-86.9 degree F (27.8C-30.5C)                         Use discretion for intense or prolonged exercise.  Watch at-risk players carefully.  Provide >3 separate rest breaks/h of minimum
                                                                          duration 4 min each.
87.0-89.9 degree F (30.5C-32.2C)                         Maximum practice time = 2 h. For football: players restricted to helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice.  All protective
                                                                           equipment must be removed for conditioning activities.  For all sports: provide >4 separate rest breaks/h of minimum duration 4 min each.
90.0-92.0 degree F (32.2C-33.3C)                         Maximum length of practice = 1 h. No protective equipment may be worn during practice and there may be no conditioning
                                                                           activities.  There must be 20 min of rest breaks provided during the hour of practice.
Over 92.1 degree F (33.4 degree C)                       No outdoor workouts, cancel exercise, delay practices until cooler WBGT reading occurs.

Cooling Methods Due to Heat Illness

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is relatively uncommon among exercise associated medical conditions, but is frequent cause of exercise related death. The majority of evidence shows that early institution of body cooling is the MOST effective method of decreasing mortality in EHS. The following contains recommendations regarding the methods of body cooling, including tubes, ice bags, iced towels (towels with water that have been frozen) water, fans, and shade. The recommendations are classified as ESSENTIAL (foundational to implementation, should have resources and personnel directed toward implementation) and desirable (important in maximal implementation, should have resources and personnel directed towards implementation). The recommendations are only guidelines, are not intended as a standard of care, and should not be considered as such. These guidelines should only be considered in the care of athletes who can be expected to be at risk of EHS due to sport or the environmental situation of the activity. Sports especially at risk include football with and without equipment, soccer, and long distance track/cross country. Other sports and activities, such as golf, baseball, softball, tennis, track and field, and band may also be at risk due to long duration exposure to extreme environmental conditions.

It is essential that our schools and administrators/coaches:

  1. Establish a written plan for emergency treatment of EHS that includes transport to a hospital and conduct drills in the implementation of the plan as practicable.

  2. Know how to access environmental conditions and determine when extreme conditions exist.

  3. Identify a specific spot at the athletic facility that has shade.

  4. Have immediate access to ice and bags to contain ice.

  5. Have access to water, and provide water breaks as outlined in the NAFCS Managing Heat and Humidity Policy.

  6. Know the most effective sites for application of ice to the body. (Head/Neck, Axilla/Armpit, Elbow, Wrist, Groin, Back of Knee, Ankles/Feet)

  7. Obtain and use, when environmental conditions are determined to be extreme, a tub or pool, filled with water and ice before activity begins, to be used in body immersion for maximal cooling, and have personnel trained in this technique.

It is desirable that our schools and administrators/coaches:

  1. Have immediate access to water.

  2. Provide shade breaks.

  3. Provide fans when environmental conditions are determined to be extreme.

  4. Have close access to an air conditioned room.

  5. Have access to and use iced towels that can be rotated to appropriate areas of the body, including the head, neck, axilla/armpit, elbow, wrist, groin, back of knee, ankle/foot.

Revised 8/6/18

© NAFCSC 2023